The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
FIU
UAB Tops Tournament Host FIU, 6-4
2/12/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 12, 2012
Box Score (PDF)
MIAMI – On the third and final day of the FIU Combat Classic UAB defeated host FIU, 6-4. With the win, UAB improves to 3-2 and FIU falls to 1-4.
The Blazers scored three runs in the top of the first inning to start the game. An illegal pitch from Panther pitcher Jenn Gniadek put Catherine Crawford on first base. Kayla Orr singled up the middle to advance Crawford to second.
Gniadek walked Mandy Lowman to load the bases. Kristen McGrath hit a single to the third baseman, but she fumbled the ball. Crawford scored on the play and the bases remained loaded with one out.
Kate Armstrong hit a grounder to third base and Orr was forced out at home. With two outs and the bases loaded, freshman Hayley Davis roped one up the middle to score Lowman.
Gniadek walked freshman Amy Dennis, which scored McGrath, giving UAB the lead 3-0.
The Blazers added two more runs in the second inning. Crawford was walked again, stole second when no one was looking and eventually scored on a drop-third strike to McGrath, sliding under the tag to give UAB a 4-0 lead.
Lowman also walked to first base and advanced to third on the drop-third strike to McGrath, who hustled to first and was called safe.
Armstrong laced the ball to center field and Lowman scored.
The Panthers scored one run in the third inning and three in the fourth.
UAB pitcher Lannah Campbell walked the second batter in the fourth inning. The next batter hit a two-run homer over the left field wall. The third runner hit a single and advanced to second on an errant UAB throw. She ran all the way home on a wild pitch from Campbell.
UAB added the final run in the top of the seventh. Amber Torres, who served as the pinch runner for McGrath, scored from third on a sacrifice fly to left field hit by Davis.
Campbell (1-1) earned the win for the Blazers after relieving Leigh Streetman in the circle. Gniadek (0-2) suffered the loss for FIU.
Campbell had six strike outs in 3.0 innings pitched, including all three outs in the bottom of the seventh when FIU had a runner in scoring position.
UAB returns to action Feb. 17-19 at the Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Ariz. UAB will take on Southern Utah at 1 p.m. MT, before a 4 p.m. MT matchup with tournament host Arizona on Friday.
